Cops raid Abra Gov's home for links to Bersamin slay

Elements of the police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) on Friday afternoon stormed the residential compound of Abra Gov. Vicente Valera shortly after a suspect implicated him to the murder of provincial Rep. Luis Bersamin Jr. GMA News' reporter Emil Sumangil said the police operatives entered Valera's residential compound at Emerald Hills in Zone 7 of the Bangued provincial capitol. Regional CIDG officials claimed to have received information that a number of firearms were inside the compound. The raiding policemen came with a court-issued search warrant, Sumangil said in his report over dzBB radio. However, Valera and his wife, incumbent Bangued Mayor Ma. Zita Valera, were not in the compound when the search was conducted. Some guards, Valera's pet ostrich and gator were seen at the site during the operation. Bersamin was murdered last December 16 in front of the Mt. Carmel Church in Quezon City. His security escort Senior Police Officer (SPO) 1 Adelfo Ortega also died in the attack. A few hours before the Abra raid, the Philippine National Police (PNP) named four of five suspects who may have participated in the killing. Suspect Rufino Panday, in his sworn statement, alleged that Valera hired them to kill Bersamin in exchange for P5 million. He identified the gunman as Dominador Barbosa. Police named the other suspects as Freddie Dupo, former La Paz vice mayor; a certain Sonny Taculao; and a still unidentified driver of the getaway vehicle. Director Gen. Oscar Calderon, Philippine National Police chief, in a statement, said their investigation showed that the 63-year-old Panday served as a lookout in the crime. He said two counts of murder and two counts of frustrated murder were filed before the Quezon City Prosecutors' Office against Panday, Barbosa and Taculao. "We remain confident that we will complete the investigation in due time and serve the ends of justice to the victims," Calderon said. As this developed, radio station dzBB said the Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered the Bureau of Immigration to place Valera and five other suspects in the latter's hold departure list. Meanwhile, constituents and supporters of the slain lawmaker continue to flock the Bersamin residence in Bangued, Abra since the remains arrived there Thursday evening. Many of those who went to the wake were political allies and the scholars of Bersamin.-GMANews.TV